Module-2

Q. List out the differences between Existing Knowledge and New Knowledge

Aspect Existing Knowledge New Knowledge

Information, theories, and research

Fresh insights, discoveries, or perspectives
Definition findings that are already established
generated through new research.
in a field.

Derived from previous studies,

Comes from original research, experiments,
Source research papers, books, and
data collection, and innovative analysis.
established theories.

Provides a foundation for further Expands, refines, or challenges existing

Purpose study and helps to frame new knowledge by filling gaps or introducing new
research questions. perspectives.

Empirical research, experiments, case

Method of Literature review, theoretical study,
studies, surveys, and qualitative/quantitative
Acquisition and secondary data analysis.
analysis.

Textbooks, research articles,

New drug formulation, breakthrough
Examples established theories (e.g., Newton’s
discoveries, or findings from original studies.
Laws, Darwin’s Theory of Evolution).

Q1. Explain how New Knowledge in Research is built upon Existing Knowledge.
New knowledge is built upon existing knowledge through a process of critical evaluation, synthesis,
and extension of what is already known. This structured approach enables researchers to deepen
understanding, challenge assumptions, and contribute to the advancement of a field.

This process involves several key steps:

1. Reviewing Existing Literature:

Researchers begin by studying previously published studies, theories, and findings (from
research papers, books, etc.) to understand the current state of knowledge. This helps
identify gaps, inconsistencies, and areas that need further exploration.

2. Identifying Gaps and Formulating Questions:

By analyzing existing research, researchers pinpoint unanswered questions, unresolved
contradictions, or emerging issues that warrant further investigation.

3. Developing a Theoretical Framework:

New research often builds on established theories, adapting or modifying them to suit new
contexts. This provides a structured and logical basis for inquiry.

4. Applying and Testing Previous Findings:

Researchers may replicate earlier studies in different environments, with different
populations or methods, to verify, refine, or challenge prior conclusions.
 5. Integrating New Data and Insights:
Through new experiments, case studies, or data collection, researchers generate fresh
insights. These are used to extend or refine existing theories and contribute to the body of
knowledge.

6. Peer Review and Scholarly Debate:

New knowledge undergoes rigorous peer review and is subject to academic discussion,
which helps validate and improve the quality of findings.

7. Cumulative Growth of Knowledge:

Over time, this cycle of building upon prior work leads to a cumulative expansion of
knowledge, fostering innovation and scientific progress.

Q2. List and explain key steps involved in Analyzing and Synthesizing Prior Art

Note: Prior Art refers to all existing knowledge and information relevant to a research topic that has
already been made public. This includes published research papers, books, patents, technical
reports, and other documented findings. Prior art serves as the foundation upon which new
knowledge is built.

Note: Analyzing means breaking down prior research (literature, patents, reports) into smaller parts
to understand key concepts, methods, findings, and limitations. It helps researchers evaluate the
quality, relevance, and credibility of existing knowledge.

Note: Synthesizing means combining insights from multiple sources to form a comprehensive
understanding of a topic. It helps identify common themes, trends, contradictions, and research
gaps, and supports the development of new research questions, frameworks, or models.

The key steps involved in Analyzing and Synthesizing prior art are as follows

1. Identifying Relevant Prior Art

This involves searching for existing research, published articles, technical reports, and patents related
to the research topic.

• Bibliographic databases: Google Scholar, IEEE Xplore, Scopus, Web of Science

• Patent databases: USPTO, Google Patents, WIPO

2. Critically Evaluating Sources

Assess the credibility, quality, and relevance of the prior art.

• Publication venue (journal/conference reputation)

• Author’s expertise and affiliation

• Research methodology and sample size

• Date of publication (to ensure relevance and currency)

3. Extracting Key Information

From each source, identify:

• Core concepts
 • Research methods

• Major findings and conclusions

• Limitations and gaps

• Relevance to your own research problem

Summarize these key points in your own words.

4. Identifying Patterns, Trends, and Gaps

Compare and contrast different sources to identify:

• Common themes or repeated findings

• Emerging trends and novel approaches

• Contradictions between studies

• Gaps or unexplored areas in existing research

5. Organizing Information Systematically

Arrange the gathered information in a structured format, such as a literature matrix, concept map, or
annotated bibliography to make analysis easier.

6. Synthesizing Information

Combine insights from multiple sources to:

• Develop a cohesive understanding of the topic

• Integrate various viewpoints

• Build the foundation for your own research framework

7. Drawing Conclusions and Research Directions

Based on the synthesis:

• Clearly outline how your research will contribute new knowledge

• Define your research questions or hypotheses

• Justify the need for your study

Q3. Discuss bibliographic databases such as Web of Science, Google, Google Scholar,
PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus for academic research. Explain with examples.
1. Web of Science (WoS)
A trusted multidisciplinary citation database of scholarly journals, conference proceedings, and
research articles.

Use in academic research:

• Track citations and impact factor.

• Identify high-quality peer-reviewed journals.

Access:

• Visit: https://www.webofscience.com

• Most universities provide institutional access (login through your college library portal).

Example:
If you search “machine learning in healthcare,” you’ll get access to highly cited papers from journals
like Nature or IEEE Transactions.

2. Google
A general-purpose search engine.

Use in academic research:

• Find a broad range of information (books, news, blogs, articles).

• Not peer-reviewed — needs critical filtering.

Access:

• Simply go to https://www.google.com

Example:
Search “climate change impact research paper PDF” — you might find links to university-hosted PDFs
or government reports.

3. Google Scholar
A free academic search engine that indexes scholarly articles, theses, books, and conference papers.

Use in academic research:

• Access research papers across various disciplines.

• See citation count and related works.

Access:

• Visit: https://scholar.google.com

Example:
Search “blockchain in supply chain management” — you’ll find academic papers with citations, PDFs,
and related studies.

4. PubMed

A biomedical literature database maintained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Use in academic research:

• Ideal for medical, clinical, and biological research.

• Provides abstracts and links to full-text (often free via PMC).

Access:

• Visit: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Example:
Search “COVID-19 vaccine efficiency” — you'll find studies from journals like The Lancet or NEJM.

5. ScienceDirect

An academic platform by Elsevier providing access to over 16 million articles from scientific,
technical, and medical journals.

Use in academic research:

• Peer-reviewed research from high-impact journals.

• Excellent for engineering, computer science, life sciences, and health.

Access:

• Visit: https://www.sciencedirect.com

• Some articles are open access; others need subscription/university login.

Example:
Search “artificial intelligence in medical diagnosis” — you might find articles from Artificial
Intelligence in Medicine journal.

6. Scopus
A comprehensive abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature by Elsevier.

Use in academic research:

• Track research trends, author profiles, and journal rankings.

• Excellent for citation analysis.

Access:

• Visit: https://www.scopus.com

• Requires institutional subscription (most universities have it).

Example:
Search “renewable energy forecasting” — results show citations, authors, and source impact factor.

Q4. Why is critical reading important in research, and how does it differ from creative reading?

Critical reading is essential in research because it helps researchers:

1. Evaluate Credibility and Reliability

o Not all sources are trustworthy. Critical reading helps you judge the validity of
arguments, methods, and data.

2. Identify Bias and Assumptions

o It enables you to detect underlying biases or assumptions in a study or paper.

3. Understand Deeper Meaning

 o Goes beyond surface reading by analyzing how and why conclusions were made.

4. Connect Ideas

o Helps compare different sources and link findings to your own research question.

5. Form Independent Judgments

o Encourages you to question, agree, disagree, or refine existing ideas based on

evidence.

6. Avoid Plagiarism

o By critically analyzing and rephrasing ideas, you're less likely to copy text and more
likely to create original work.

Q5. Write a detailed Note on

i)Technical Reading

ii)Conceptualizing the research

Technical Reading in Research

Definition:

Technical reading in research is the careful and critical examination of technical materials such as
research papers, conference proceedings, technical manuals, data reports, and scientific
publications, with the purpose of deeply understanding the content, evaluating its validity, and
applying the knowledge to one’s own research or professional work.

• To gain in-depth understanding of complex technical concepts.

• To evaluate the validity and reliability of the research.

• To apply findings, methods, or tools in new research or practical applications.

• To stay updated with the latest developments in the field.

Technical Reading Involves:

1. Analyzing the Structure & Content of Research Papers

o Understand the paper’s layout: Abstract, Introduction, Methodology, Results,

Discussion, and Conclusion.

o Identify the main objective, research question, and scope of the study.

2. Interpreting Data, Formulas & Technical Terms

o Decode complex mathematical models, equations, graphs, and technical language.

o Understand how data was collected, represented, and interpreted.

3. Critically Evaluating Methodology and Conclusions

o Judge whether the research design is appropriate.

o Check for validity, reproducibility, and limitations.

 o Evaluate whether conclusions are supported by data and results.

Example : "Performance Analysis of Renewable Energy Systems under Varying Environmental

Conditions."

Conceptualizing the Research

Definition:

Conceptualizing the research means formulating a clear, focused, and structured understanding of a
research problem. It involves identifying what needs to be studied, why it matters, and how the
study will be approached. This stage helps set a strong foundation for the entire research process.

Purpose of Conceptualizing Research:

• To develop a clear research problem or question.

• To set boundaries and direction for the study.

• To create a theoretical or conceptual framework.

• To define key variables, relationships, and methodologies.

Conceptualizing Research Involves:

1. Identifying the Research Problem or Topic

o Understand the area of interest.

o Find a specific problem that is relevant, researchable, and significant.

2. Reviewing Existing Literature

o Analyze previous studies to understand what is already known.

o Identify gaps, contradictions, or unanswered questions.

3. Defining Key Concepts and Variables

o Clearly explain what is being studied.

o Identify independent, dependent, and control variables if applicable.

4. Developing a Conceptual or Theoretical Framework

o Use existing theories or models to support your research.

o Show how different concepts are connected.

o This helps guide data collection and analysis.

5. Formulating Research Questions or Hypotheses

o Pose clear questions or testable hypotheses based on the framework.

o Ensure questions are specific, measurable, and aligned with your goals.

6. Choosing an Appropriate Research Methodology

 o Decide whether your research will be qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods.

o Choose methods that best address the research problem.

Example :
"The impact of machine learning algorithms on cybersecurity threat detection."